Biologists stuck a camera on a sea turtle – and it filmed this

Marine biologists have tried to learn more about sea turtles by putting themselves in the animals’ shoes – or, more accurately, on their shells. 

By attaching animal-borne cameras to turtles, the scientists were able to get a close-up glimpse into their lives. "Our goal with the TurtleCam project was to show from a first-person (or should that be first-turtle) perspective how sea turtles swim through the oceans,” says marine biologist Nathan J. Robinson. 

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The cameras are attached using a release mechanism that is corroded by the sea water in just a few hours, at which point the TurtleCam detaches from the individual. 

“From our over 200 hours of recording, we are improving our knowledge of critical sea turtle habitats,” Robinson adds. For example, one study revealed that turtles might not fully fill their lungs when diving in shallower waters (to help them stay neutrally buoyant). 

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This knowledge could be important for protecting turtles accidentally caught in fishing nets. “If true, this has implications for fisheries bycatch, as turtles caught in shallow waters may have lower oxygen reserves and thus could drown faster than those caught in deeper waters,” write the authors in the paper. 

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The videos have also given the scientists a sneak peek into the turtles’ social lives – and they were surprised by what they saw. 

"Interestingly we are learning that sea turtles are also incredibly social,” says Robinson.

“A turtle will rarely swim past another turtle without interacting in some way but the ecological purpose of these interactions still remains a mystery that we are trying to figure out!”

Image and video credit: footage owned and created by Nathan J. Robinson

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